Opening Night
by Downtonluvr
Summary: John and Anna spend a night to themselves attending a premiere for a show John has been working on.


**_A/N: I know someone else already beat me to it, but I couldn't help myself when I saw a photo on tumblr that inspired me to write this_**

**Opening Night**

"You both are going to be late if you don't leave soon," Mrs. Hughes reminded John in her Scottish brogue as she bounced Dylan on her knee. She wiped the trail of drool from his lips with his bibb and handed the one year old another cheerio to munch on. Dylan was every bit the spitting image of his father from his long limbs to his cherub cheeks. He had dark hair and hazel eyes framed by lashes that seemed to go on for days.

"I know," John said as he took a glance at himself in the mirror and straightened his bow tie one last time. He could hear his son gurgling in the background and turned around to see Dylan reaching out for him. John crossed the living room and picked up his baby boy and blew a raspberry on Dylan's cheek, causing him to laugh aloud and revealing his newest baby teeth. "Now son, you promise not to give Grammy Elsie any problems tonight," John said as he tickled Dylan's belly. "Be good for Daddy."

"Da!" Dylan responded with flailing arms.

"That's right," John said as he kissed him one last time and smoothed his hair.

"He'll be fine and so will his sister. Speaking of which, where is Cassie?" Elsie asked.

"She's probably still waiting to see Anna in her dress for the evening," John replied with his hands on his hips.

"Ah, I should have known," Elsie replied with a knowing smile.

"We tried to make your evening as easy as possible, both children have been fed and bathed. Cassie goes to bed by 8:30 and this little one should be passing out on his own in the next half hour. If you have any problems jus-"

"John, this isn't my first time watching my god children. We'll be fine. You both just relax and enjoy the evening. And best of luck to you on opening night," the older woman said.

"Thank you," John said as he shrugged bashfully; he didn't know why he was acting so nervous. John didn't even have to go up on the stage tonight, but he supposed it was because most of the music he had composed for tonight's show was inspired by his wife and some of it she would be hearing for the first time. That is if they could ever get out of the house in time. John, checked his watch and hated to rush her, knowing that Anna only took her time because she wanted to look her absolute best. Little did Anna know, she could walk the red carpet in a paper bag and he still would have looked upon her like she was the most gorgeous creature that ever walked the earth. "I guess I should go check on Anna," John said as he walked back to their bedroom and smoothed the back of his hair down.

John could hear the sound of their daughter talking Anna's ear off and giggles coming from both of his girls. Their laughter proved to be sweeter than any melody he could ever hope to compose. John listened at the door before announcing himself.

"Mummy, which earrings will you be wearing tonight?" Cassie asked. She was a precocious little thing, so much like his wife.

"Hmmm," Anna responded as she pursed her lips together and opened her jewelry box. "I don't know, it's a black dress so I could really go with any color and it would match. What do you think?" she replied. Anna stood in her bedroom wearing a lovely, floor-length gown that revealed her well toned back and shoulders. She hitched up her dress to slip into her heels, revealing her shapely legs; still holding the frame of the dancer she'd once been.

Cassie took her time selecting a set of earrings as she ran her fingers along the different colored jewels. "I like the green ones. They are like Daddy's eyes," their daughter reasoned simply.

"That is a good point," Anna replied. She stood behind her baby girl, a miniature version of herself with blonde hair and blue eyes to match. Anna pulled Cassie's hair back and held up the selection to her daughter's ears. "What do you think?"

Cassie's mouth widened in surprise. "Oh yes, they are perfect," she commented with a look of satisfaction written across her face.

"Very well," Anna said as she began to fix the jewelry to her ears. She smiled down fondly at her as Cassie handed her Mummy a decorative hair comb to complete the look. "How do I look?" she asked Cassie before doing a twirl in front of the floor length mirror in their bedroom.

"Mummy, you look great! Just like one of the princesses in the stories Daddy tells me before bed," Cassie replied as she took a seat on the edge of her and John's bed. Their daughter was already dressed in her pajamas and gave her Mummy a wide grin.

Anna fastened the last clasp on the back of her dress in place before patting her hand on the chair at her vanity. "Alright little love, come have a seat and Mummy will do your makeup just as I promised."

John smiled from the doorway as he watched Cassie eagerly hop off the bed and climb up onto the chair to get made up. Watching the scene play out before him, he didn't have the heart to make Anna stop just so they could make the premiere in time. At six years old, Cassie was already growing up too fast for his liking. He knew that one day she wouldn't want to come to Anna to have her make up done or wait impatiently to have another story read to her at bedtime. These were the moments they had to treasure while they still could. He watched as Anna patted some face powder onto Cassie's face, brushed a little blush on the apples of her cheeks, and let her pick a lipstick color. Anna even showed her how to press her lips to a tissue to take the excess lipstick off. She spritzed some of her favorite perfume on Cassie wrists and showed her how to rub them together and spread it behind her ears. Anna whispered something into Cassie's ear that John couldn't discern, but he took this as a cue to make his presence known. "I must be in the wrong room. Who are these too beauties before me? And which one am I taking to the premiere tonight?" John teased.

"Daddy, it's me," Cassie replied as she scrambled over to her father and raised her hands for him to pick her up.

"Oh, goodness me. I almost didn't recognize you, munchkin," John said playfully as he kissed her nose. "You smell as pretty as a flower and shine more brightly than a star on the silver screen."

"Really?" Cassie asked in disbelief.

"Without a doubt. Now, will you be alright without your story tonight?"

"Grammy says she's going to sing to me tonight," Cassie replied.

"Well that sounds like a treat. You be good for her tonight and help out with Dylan," John instructed her sweetly before setting her down and giving her a gentle pat on her bottom.

"I will, Daddy," Cassie replied.

"That's my girl. Now go head out to the living room. Grammy said she'd make you some cocoa tonight," John said as he helped Anna with the chain of the necklace she held out for him. Cassie ran off down the hallway and John took the opportunity to place a kiss on the base of his wife's neck and leave a trail that led down to her shoulder. "You, my love, look incredible. The audience is going to have one hell of a time paying attention to the other ballerinas when they catch a glimpse of you."

"John," Anna said with a playful slap to his shoulder.

"What? It's a compliment," he argued back with a smile.

"I haven't danced in ages," she said.

"That doesn't mean you can't anymore. I still remember the way you looked the first time I saw you on a stage. You were like something out of a fairytale come to life," John said before combing one of her loose hairs back in place. "You moved unlike anything I've ever seen; poetry in motion," he said as he spun her in his arms and dipped her back to kiss her lips. "You've been my muse ever since." John brought her back up and let his lips meets hers in a passionate gesture.

He didn't have to think hard to remember how captivating Anna had been to him from the moment he laid eyes on her. John could still recall that sweet, innocent face walking into an audition for a show that his friend, Robert Crawley, was producing. John had been struggling with finding the motivation to get some of the happier pieces composed as he had been in a bit of a depression since his mother had passed. It had all started with her running into him by accident in the hallway just outside the theatre, a stack full of music sheets flying through the air in a flurry, but she stopped to help him retrieve each and every one. Both of them muttering their apologies and checking to make sure that the other was alright. When their hands both reached for the same sheet of paper and brushed against each other it was electric. His eyes found hers and John knew he was a goner. When it was her turn to go up and audition John flashed her an easy smile that seemed to put her mind at ease and just as he had predicted, Anna had gotten her spot on the center stage. After that it was weeks of rehearsals that started early in the morning and went late into the evening, but he couldn't find it in his heart to complain, not when he had the opportunity to spend each of those hours with her. They shared the same sense of humor and love of books, they could banter playfully, and would often finish each other's sentences. John tried not to let himself fall too deep, as he reminded himself that they were still coworkers, but he couldn't help it. There was something about her that left him awestruck and speechless. Sometimes he would stay late just to watch her from the rafters as she moved with grace and precision, her dedication evident in every gesture, her passion practically oozing from every pore. It made it all the harder not to stare at her when they were trying to hold a casual conversation or even worse, when she was stretching during her warm-ups.

Suddenly, it seemed that John had no trouble at all working on the music for the more upbeat sections of the show. The music was practically pouring out of him; he was a man possessed as he scribbled down note for note and worked into the wee hours of the morning. Sleep eluded him and Anna was all he could think of. John didn't even mind the lack of sleep, because the second he saw her face working in the rehearsal studio he felt refreshed and born again.

Shortly before opening night, John found the courage to ask her if he could escort her to the after party following the show. He knew it was a long shot, but was pleasantly surprised when she had told him she didn't have a date and would love to go with him. John had left a bouquet of flowers in her dressing room telling her to 'break a leg' and even framed a copy of the program from the show for her to keep. When they attended the after party it was clear not just to them, but to everyone around them, that there was certainly more going on there than friendship. As they flitted across the dance floor, nearly cheek to cheek and with his hand on the small of her back, John came to the conclusion that he couldn't let her go. Another moment not spent in her presence would be another moment wasted.

_"Anna, I was wondering if I could ask you out?" he whispered into her ear. _

_She giggled slightly and blushed as she reminded him, "We are out, silly."_

_John began to retreat, thinking the evening hadn't meant as much to her as it had to him. But he would not be deterred, John refused to believe that he fate hadn't played some part in him meeting someone like Anna. "Right...I meant on a date, sometime after this."_

_Anna took a step back to look up at him sweetly, "I thought you'd never ask."_

Anna's hands on his chest finally pulled him from his thoughts. "You have such a way with words, Mr. Bates. We're you planning on getting lucky tonight?" she asked as she played with the hem of his lapels. Anna brushed at some imaginary piece of lint, but her cheeks turned red as she imagined all the things she would be doing with her husband later tonight. He was dressed to the nines in a black suit and freshly shined shoes. John wore the watch she had gotten him for their wedding and had it engraved with their initials. His hair was combed back, except for the one errant lock of hair that seemed to have a mind of it's own no matter how much product John threw at it. Something about the way he carried himself still made it seem as though he owned a room from the moment he walked into it.

"I'm lucky every night because I'm married to you," he complimented her.

"Alright, now I know we have to get going. If you talk like that anymore we won't be leaving this bedroom," Anna teased as she grabbed her clutch.

"Would that really be so bad?" John replied with an arched eyebrow. His wife looked just as young and carefree as the day they married when she smiled back at him. "You know I don't care much for these things anyway," he added.

"I don't see why not. You should be proud of your work," Anna chided him.

"I am. But it's hard to top our first opening night," John replied with a wink.

Remembering that first night all those years ago Anna couldn't help but smile back at him before kissing the smooth skin of his cheek. John led her out to the living room and helped her to put her coat on, they both kissed their children goodnight one final time, then said their 'goodbyes' from the car as they pulled away and waved to their babies in the window. Dylan had started crying the moment Anna walked out the door and it tore them both up to leave him like that but John knew they could both use an evening to themselves and that Elsie would take good care of him.

* * *

><p>By the time they arrived the show was just about to start and the red carpet was empty. Anna looked disappointed that John had missed his chance to get his photo taken with the rest of the cast and crew. John assured her, it hadn't bothered him in the slightest. He reasoned that, "Anna, most of the papers just care about the writer, director, and cast. I highly doubt they'd stop the presses for the music composer."<p>

Anna apologized profusely for having taken so long to get ready, "It was your big night though, you deserved to have you work recognized. I've robbed you of such a chance."

"Nonsense. I was right where I was supposed to be when this whole thing started. I got to watch my girls get ready for the evening; that was more than enough to satisfy me," John replied genuinely. "Now, please let's not dwell on it anymore and go enjoy the show." He positioned his arm for Anna to loop hers through and led his wife inside. They grabbed a program and quickly found their seats just as the curtains were coming up.

John couldn't help but notice the way his wife nearly sat on the edge of her seat the whole performance. Her eyes lit up like a child's on christmas morning as she attempted to absorb every ounce of energy taking place before her. She was so moved by the way the dancers routines were synchronized and choreographed. Sometimes John felt guilty for falling in love with her and stealing her away from the limelight. If they hadn't met she would still be up on that stage, wowing crowds, and garnering all the applause the audience had to offer. She looked stunning with her hair swept back in a fancy updo that left her neck exposed for his viewing pleasure and her make up done just so. John had heard of some couples whose love or passion for one another would ebb with time whether it was from external or internal factors, but he could fail to see how that would ever happen. John's hand drifted over to cover her hand before bringing it to his mouth and tenderly placing a kiss just above her wedding ring.

Anna turned and smiled at him before whispering to him, "What was that for?"

"For being you," John said without missing a beat.

"Charmer," she replied back with a heart stopping smile.

* * *

><p>They had made it through the rest of the show and attended the soiree afterwards to rub elbows with some of the producers. John felt bad that they hadn't been able to find a moment to themselves without being interrupted but Anna thoroughly enjoy it. After watching John spend months working late into the evening and getting to hear the music that he'd created himself, she could not have been more proud of the man sitting across from her. He deserved every bit of the compliments that were being thrown his way. And she was more than thrilled to have a chance to meet some of the dancers in person.<p>

When they were finally able to steal a second away from the rest of the group John leaned in closer to her and said, "Are you having a lovely time?"

"I am," she replied. "I'm missing the children terribly, but I suppose that is something I'll have to get used to. I rather enjoy having you all to myself."

"We'll see them again soon. I feel as though I've been so busy the last few months working on this project that I didn't spend as much time with you as I should have," he said softly.

"John, I understand that it's your work. It's how you provide for us," she replied reasonably.

"I just hope you don't feel that I've forgotten you," John stated.

Anna fixed his bow tie and stroked the lining of his jaw, "No. I could never feel that way. You're far too good to me and our children."

"I know it hasn't been easy the last couple months with Dylan still being so little and me working odd hours was not ideal. As much as I love Cassie, I know she can be a handful as well."

"I'll admit it's been a struggle here and there, but nothing I couldn't handle. Besides, I wouldn't have our children any other way."

John couldn't help but smile at her, she never failed to amaze him. "Well, just in case you ever forget or doubt…" John said as he withdrew his copy of the program. He opened it and thumbed through the pages until he reached the last page that had his name listed as the composer, "this is for you." He pointed to the page and slid the program over to Anna.

Anna read the small text listed under his name.

_"The music from this show was inspired by and dedicated to the love of my life, my wife, Anna. Without whom I would not be here today. She and our children are my greatest achievement." _

When Anna looked back up at him there were tears in her eyes, "Oh, John. Thank you." She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him fervently. "Come on," Anna said as she extended her hand towards him.

"What? What are we doing?" John asked as he followed close behind.

"We are going to a hotel. I only get you to myself for this one night and I'm not about to waste it here," Anna replied with a wicked smile.

"You naughty girl," John shot back.

The next thing he knew they were making a mad dash to the car in the rain as he attempted to keep them from catching a cold. But hearing the sound of her laughter as she encouraged him to keep up made him lose the will to try. He would have gladly followed her anywhere.


End file.
